HIGH FOR YOU
by MandyAnderson
Summary: 2 different PEOPLE. 2 different LIVES. How do they fit together?
1. Chapter 1

LETTER

I stared at the squiggly lines on the paper. The odd curves and straight lines of letters. Letters that made scribbles. Scribbles that made words. Words that became rubbish. Paragraphs of what looked to me like a two year old had attacked a plain white wall with black crayons.

"_**Just read it!"**_

"_**I'm trying!"**_ I seethed back.

She stabbed the word with her finger. _**"Sound it out!"**_ My mother was frustrated.

She gets so impatient when she reads with me. My mum is a caring woman, don't get me wrong. A very smart woman too, and when you're smart and you have a seventeen year old daughter who can't read; well I guess it can be a bit maddening.

"_**Sound it out, each letter –"**_

"_**I am!"**_ I protested. My head was hurting. Concentrating on those little lines on the page made my temples pulse.

Two little eyes tried to look over the table top across from me. My sister's fair wispy hair stuck up around her ears.

"_**You can do it Tina,"**_ Sylvie encouraged in her little voice. She stood on her tiptoes trying to see across the tall table.

My four year old sister eyed the book I had in my hands. _**"Hey I love that story!" **_She proclaimed, narrowing her eyes she read,_** "The king of the jungle."**_

It made me sick. My baby sister could read the title of the book far faster that it would take me to register that they were actually letters and words. I can read. It just takes me a while. I have to stare at the lines until it form letters, then words. Then I have to try to say them. It's hard but I can do it. It just takes a long time to get through a page. The book I have in my hands now, isn't very complicated, considering a four year old can read the title in under two seconds, but I chose it so I didn't have to think that hard today, but this word was a hard one.

"_**Come on Tina,"**_ my mother coaxed, this time gently pointing at the word I was stuck on.

Tina. My name. It took me to fifth grade to learn how to spell it, even now I forget sometimes. I know how to pronounce it. Like what you call red, yellow and blue. Color. I know how to recognize it on a page. But I'm not very fast. Kind of pathetic, huh?

I looked back at the word on the page, trying to concentrate. _**"Cor-Coura-Courageous."**_ Finally it was out. I took a deep breath and continued the sentence.

It was a matter of reading the sentence as a whole than just as one word. To understand what each word meant in the sentence to get that one hard word and what it was. It's hard.

"_**Hey honey?"**_ My dad called from across the room, he appeared in the doorway, holding his briefcase. _**"I have to run down to the office; client emergency,"**_ he said apologetically.

"_**Oh ok, don't be late home I have a shift at seven,"**_ my mother sighed, the prospect of work on mind.

My father worked high up in a lawyer company. Big hot shot, some say. But I knew he wasn't going downtown to the office. I've known that ever since last week when I walked unexpectedly into Mum and Dad's bedroom and came out very surprised when I realized it wasn't Mum and Dad in there but Dad and someone else.

I glowered at him before he left the room. He didn't know I knew but deep down I think both of him and Mum knew what was going on. They would never split though. It made me feel guilty because I knew it was because of me.

AN: Read & Review

DISCLAIMER: Not Mine

ORIGINAL STORY: ECSTASY by Dess (TheVintageGrace)


	2. Chapter 2

E

"_**Mike, focus!"**_ I turned back to David, bopping my head along to the heavy beats thumping though the backyard.

"_**Do you want these or not?"**_ He held up a clear plastic bag with three tiny pink pills.

I found it hard to concentrate with the alcohol running though my blood. "_**Yup, how much?" **_

"_**Two hundred –"**_ He stared to say.

"_**Two hundred!"**_ I said incredulously, _**"For three? Come on David I'm your best customer. Four and you have a deal,"**_ I begged.

"_**No can do Changster, the demand for E these days is incredibly high. I'm sorry, I can throw in some special k?"**_ He enticed, swinging another bag.

"_**Nahh man I got plenty of that,"**_ I sighed in defiance, _**"give me a cap of speed and a bag of pot for one seventy."**_

"_**One ninety,"**_ he demanded. Finally I saw that shine in his eyes when he was getting weak.

"_**One eighty,"**_ I knew not to push him too far.

"_**Deal!"**_ He grinned, pulling bags out of his back pack.

I reached into my back pocket with my other hand, that wasn't being weighed down with my half drunken bottle of jägermeister, and got my wallet. I pulled out the money that I took from my Dad's desk. I grinned as David split with the drugs. I pocketed everything but the three little ecstasies.

I popped two of the little pink pills in my mouth and sculled them down with a large gulp of drink.

The large house party was really starting to kick off now, it was 10 o'clock. The deep base beats of the music shook the walls of the house and the one hundred something teenagers grinded to the music throughout the property. The music infected my alcoholic brain and I moved to the beat, bouncing through all the hot sweaty teenagers. I felt the familiar dizzy sensation burning in my temples. I grinned as I felt it come on stronger. The rush to my head made me feel giddy as I walked down to the back of the garden. I laughed as I tripped over a couple making out and I felt my breathing quicken. I noticed a girl's face from across the yard smiling at me and motioning me to come over. I stumbled across the lawn to her as I felt my skin starting to tingle. I knew I was close now.

"_**Hey!"**_ She called as I came up to her. She had short blonde hair that bounced around her face in tight curls, a nice curvy body and good set of breasts that she had no inhibitions to hide as she pushed them out. She grabbed my arm as I stood beside her.

"_**I'm Shoshandra,"**_ She beamed up at me, _**"and these are my friends; Jordan and Celeste," **_she said gesturing to the other two girls standing near her who also had bottles of mixed spirits in their hands.

"_**What's your name?"**_ She said as she turned to face me blocking me off from her friends.

"_**Mike,"**_ I gave her my nickname as I felt my muscles tighten. The music from the DJ blasted out across the back yard, and I couldn't help jumping around a bit to it.

"_**Mike,"**_ She repeated, giving me a sweet giggle. _**"Well, Mike, I must say,"**_ She leant forward, reaching up to play with my hair_**, "You are the most attractive burnout I have ever met."**_

I laughed as I realized she must have seen me score off David earlier. _**"I was wondering**_," She bit her lip and looked up at me suggestively, _**"Care to share?"**_ She arched an eyebrow suggesting she would pay me back. She pressed her body close to mine seductively and I felt lightheaded and nodded eagerly.

Grinning she said, _**"Sweet!"**_

I decided that she wasn't worth my last E tablet but I could spare the speed cap. I pulled out the thick capsule. She held her mouth open ready and a popped it in her open lips.

I had already forgotten her name fifteen minutes later as we danced together right next to the speakers. The music sounded loud and amazing as the beat drove straight to my feat, I was breathing deeply and looking around wildly as lights flashed across my vision. I felt like I was floating and the girl's touch as she slipped her hands around my neck, felt like fire. My vision was distorted I saw sparks everywhere coming from every movement. I slipped my burning hands around the blonde's waist and pulled her closer as we grinded to the music. Our faces were close when she slurred, _**"Mike, I love you."**_ We were breathing heavily and my heart was beating at a million miles a minute. I leant down and pressed my lips to hers, she returned the kiss urgently, running her magical hands through my hair.

I opened my eyes and it was light. Blood suddenly rushed to my head and I leant over the edge of the bed and threw up. I groaned, my hand going to my head.

I tried to sit up but my head swirled. I looked back at the naked blonde lying in the bed next to me. She lay on her stomach facing away from me. The two little dimples on either side of her tailbone visible above the yellow bed sheet. I managed to sit up on the edge of the bed and rub my face with my hand.

I looked around for my boxers as I stood up and walked through the open walk in wardrobe through to the ensuite, clutching my stomach as I went. I felt the onslaught of a major hangover and coming down period as I fell to my knees before the toilet and hurled into the bowl.

After I spent at least half an hour spewing my guts into the toilet, I stood up and steadied myself against the basin and stared at my face in the mirror. My black brown hair was sticking completely on end in all directions and my eyes were a bright red color, my skin was pale and I looked the type you would cross the street to pass. I turned the tap on and splashed my face with the cold stinging water.

After finding my jeans I walked back into the bedroom and searched the room for my t-shirt. I found it under the edge of the bed discarded on the floor in the heat of last night's events. I had a sick feeling in my stomach as I pulled my shirt on. Whether it was the crashing of my high or the prospect of walking out on yet another one night stand that I would never see again, I didn't know. But I turned and left the room silently without a backwards glance.

I stepped out into the demolished hallway. I'd hate to be the parents of the host of last night's party. The effort of cleaning up this mess would be unbearable. I stepped over some people crashed on the stairs and I tried to navigate myself around broken glass and a shattered marble statue.

I wondered what the time was as I walked briskly towards the front door. I passed by the living room sparing a glance just before I reached the prospect of freedom. A sight made me retrace my steps. I walked back and eyed David slouched in an arm chair with a brunette lying in his lap. On the table beside him his prized backpack spilled plastic packets of little pills. One plastic bag had burst and the tiny tablets sprayed across the table. I silently tiptoed up to him. Taking the bag I swept the remaining pills into it and picked up two more bags filled with a dozen ecstasy pills each, I eyed the bags of speed before deciding I would only take three bags filled with three caps each. He owed me that much after the rip off last night was. After carefully stuffing the plastic bags into my pockets I walked back to the front door, smirking.

"_**Nice deal David,"**_ I gave the passed out boy a silent salute and left the house.

Once the door closed behind me I knew it was mid-morning, the sun was bright, too bright for my sensitive eyes as I shielded them with my forearm. I felt my reflex gag again and stepped down into the garden to vomit again.

"_**Ugh,"**_ I groaned, eager for water. I could go back into the house to search the kitchen and get some. But then I would be posed with the threat of David waking and discovering half his stock was gone. I decided to scatter, but not go home just yet. Even though I know Frank would still be passed out on the couch after a night of heavy drinking I still didn't fancy my chances just yet. I started walking east towards the dull beach coasting the fairly average sized town. I bought a bottle of water from a corner shop on my way.

Pretty soon I found myself sitting on the sea wall with my converse clad feet dangling a meter from the sand. My long laces untied still didn't reach the ground. The only people on the beach at this time on a Sunday were the young families' game enough to try the cold water and old people having an aerobics or tai chi class. I felt oddly calm as two police officers passed by on the morning walk chatting about some driving ticket scandal as I had a couple hundred dollars' worth of party drugs in my pocket. I smiled, the thought made me feel liberated, powerful and completely free. As if nothing could hold me down, even the law. My thoughts returned to home and the idea of returning to a drunk father and my feelings dulled almost instantly.

I stood up and decided to find a place in town to crash tonight; I didn't feel like going home. I could deal with the consequences of that later.

AN: Read & Review

DISCLAIMER: Not Mine

ORIGINAL STORY: ECSTASY by Dess (TheVintageGrace)


	3. Chapter 3

MOVIN' OUT

"_**We're moving,"**_ my mother said.

"_**What?"**_ I said confused.

"_**The van arrives in three days, so I suggest you start packing,"**_ she said carrying a load of flat cardboard boxes into the kitchen. I followed her, setting my school bag down on the counter.

"_**What?"**_ I repeated.

She stopped what she was doing and looked at me_**. "You've seen the house. Your father's job transfer has been accepted and we have to be there by next week. We can enroll you in that good school up there. The one not unlike your own, that can give you as much help as down here,"**_ She finished.

"_**You could have told me this was happening!"**_ I never believed we would move. It was just an idea put into Mom's head after she found out about Dad. I never thought Dad would go through with a job transfer. I never thought I would ever have to leave this house. _**"You could have included me in this decision. I'm not a child anymore!"**_ I glowered at her.

"_**We don't think you are Tina. It's a great opportunity, for you and the whole family. We can start fresh…"**_ She waffled on, as she does.

I tuned out thinking about what she said. We can start fresh. Now I knew for sure this was because of Dad.

"…_**The hospital has given me a job also, so we're fine. The school is really nice, I've talked to the principal, it can help you so much –"**_

"_**Stop,"**_ I interrupted her deciding whether or not to bring up our dormant argument. Since we're moving I might have a shot at winning it.

"_**I don't want to go to a help school. I'm sick of it here. My teacher said my exit levels are good enough to go to a public school and you know that. If we're moving I'm going to a normal school,"**_ I declared.

My mother sighed leaning against the bench, _**"Tina,"**_ she began, _**"You know that's not happening –"**_

"_**I'm not moving then,"**_ I said stubbornly, sounding like Sylvie when she chucked a tantrum.

"_**Tina,"**_ my mother groaned.

"_**Please, please? You know that I would be ok. I can do it,"**_ I tried convincing.

"_**Ok, let's say you go to a public school, and find that you can't read or do the work. Are you sure you actually want that?"**_

Was she offering me the option? _**"Yes!"**_ I said immediately.

"_**Tina, if you go into public school, you will be doing grade twelve work. You and I both know it's not possible."**_

"_**Argh, Mom! I can and they can put me in remedial classes. I don't care! I just don't want to go to a dummy school. Please?"**_ I begged.

"_**Dummy School**_?" She looked angry and shocked then. _**"We're not having this conversation Tina,"**_ My mother ended it, just like that and walked out of the room with a large box.

I sighed and collapsed on the bench. Well this sucks.

"_**Hurry up and take these last ones down to the van, we want to finish up soon"**_ My mother said, clapping her hands as she stood in the doorway to my room. I groaned and got up off the floor. I pressed pause on my iPod and grabbed the last two cardboard boxes filled with my things with an effort.

I stopped on my way out the door and looked back at my empty room of seventeen years. I had been living here my whole life and now we we're moving. Just before senior year. I sighed and closed my bedroom door.

I waddled down the stairs taking in the rest of the old house.

"_**Tina hurry up!"**_ My mother called from outside the house.

I took one last glance around my home, "Coming," I said back.

I walked outside and put my last few boxes in the back of the moving van. My dad came and gave me a hug as it moved away. I didn't know if had forgiven him yet. We were moving because of him. Because of him I get to go to a normal school. Because of the move they were saving their marriage. Just for me.

"_**Come on,**_" he said walking to the car with me.

"_**Bye, bye house,"**_ Sylvie waved as we drove away.

I felt odd. Empty, like I got what I wanted but for all wrong reasons.

AN: Read & Review

DISCLAIMER: Not Mine

ORIGINAL STORY: ECSTASY by Dess (TheVintageGrace)


	4. Chapter 4

PANIC

"_**Yo ma man, Changster!"**_ Puck cried as he opened the door to me. _**"Come in, come in bro, how've you been?"**_

I stepped inside the door of his small apartment. I looked up at my tall friend. He looked surprised to see me. Disheveled even.

He had someone here.

"_**Sorry if I'm interrupting something, I should have called,"**_ I took a step back to the front door.

"_**Nonsense! It's fine,"**_ He lowered his voice, _**"I'm only in the middle of a deal,"**_ he winked.

I rolled my eyes and walked into the entrance room. I hung up my jacket on the coat stand and eyed my old mate. He was wearing a dressing gown and looked as if he only just got up out of bed. His thick Mohawk was receding on his pale skinned skull and his twenty-six year old face looked older than the last time I saw him. His left forearm was littered with fresh tracks, from the continuous injections of the point. His right looked bugged, covered in sores and abscesses from some dodge dirty needles.

"_**Dude, you gotta get that checked out,"**_ I pointed to his arm.

He laughed sensing my joke, _**"My boy you are funny, come on."**_

He wound his arm around my shoulders and steered me into the kitchen. A clean woman sat at the kitchen counter. Her dark hair, caramel skin and clean cut suit looked out of place in the filthy house. Puck's paraphernalia littered the bench; bent spoons contorted into small 's' shapes, a sealed plastic bag of cotton balls, glass jars of weed and a few eye droppers in random places. There was no mistaking that this guy abused drugs. I stared curiously at the woman on the bar stool, she looked too virgin to be a dealer. I looked at Puck questioning.

"Rachel," he started, "meet my all-star Mike, Changster this is Rachel my author."

Realization suddenly dawned on me as I understood who the woman was. A doctor? Maybe. Writing illegal prescriptions does earn just as much as a surgeons salary. Especially if she dealt Harry along with it. I eyed her brief case wondering if there was any heroin inside.

She nodded curtly at me and then glared at Puck. _**"Can we get on with it please?"**_

He jumped and walked around the bench eagerly to seal the exchange. I stood and watched as he bargained and managed to get the price down of Harry to twelve hundred and fifty dollars with the addition of five grams of pure coke and his prescription favorites. I shook my head unbelievingly as he led the woman out the front door. He paid less for purity and a far more expensive drug than I did for ecstasy. I was glad I stole from David, served him right for ripping me off.

I smiled at me as he re-entered the kitchen_**. "What?"**_ he asked.

"_**I worship you,"**_ I joked.

He burst out laughing.

"_**I mean, how did you manage that? From a thoroughbred dealer from the looks of her too?"**_

"_**Wisdom,"**_ he grinned, _**"and a bit of charm."**_ He winked again.

I laughed and shook my head. "_**Oh, hey?**_" I asked, suddenly remembering something as he picked up his new goodies and walked into his study with me following. "_**Do you mind if I leave some things with you?"**_

I watched as he knelt down in front of the large safe embedded in the wall. He was my only mate I could trust, the only mate that trusted me too.

"_**Yeah sure, what type?"**_ He knew exactly what I meant as he swung the big door open and deposited his drugs. _**"Not those piss-ant designer tablets again?"**_ he laughed.

I frowned, putting my hands in my pockets and pulling out my many bags of Ex pills.

He whistled at the amount in my hands, _**"Well you got enough didn't you?"**_

"_**It was an available opportunity," **_I shrugged grinning, _**"It's not like I could let it pass."**_

He raised his eyebrows at me. _**"You better be careful Mike I don't want you to get in trouble. That's a lot of money there in your hands."**_

I sighed; I was hoping he'd be proud of me. "It was just sitting there it's not like David was even looking after it, anyone could have took it. He short changed me too!" I protested. I tried to get him back on my side, knowing the lecture would come.

"_**David? Aw shit Changster, look out for yourself kay?"**_ He held his hand up and I dropped the bags into it. _**"I want you to stay here for a few days until things blow over. I know what that David's like and you don't want to be stuck on the end of his stick."**_ He put my bags into the safe and closed the door, spinning the lock.

I rolled my eyes and collapsed in an armchair. _**"It's not like he's gonna come after me–"**_

"_**He might," **_Puck interrupted, _**"Mike, mate, you're like a little brother to me. I don't want to see you get hurt."**_

"_**Relax Noah," **_I used his name for this statement_**, "He didn't even see me snatch it. He was passed out, it was lying all over the floor; anyone could have taken it. He can't know it was me,"**_ I finished breathing heavily. _**"Besides its shit stuff anyway!"**_

He started to laugh at my frustrated face. I just glared at him. _**"Come on!"**_ He punched my shoulder, standing up. _**"You love the stuff anyway,"**_ he teased.

I childishly gave him a one fingered solute. He just chuckled. _**"Let's go and play with some of the big boys," **_He led me out back into the kitchen.

Opening the fridge he pulled out two trays of double lines of coke. He set them down on the bench and started digging for some straws in the draw.

"_**Here man," **_He handed me a straw as I pulled one of the trays towards me.

I opened my eyes and tried to sit up. It was dark. I was in Puck's living room. I collapsed back on the couch. I groaned my hand in reflex going to my head. My whole body felt pain.

"_**Puck!"**_ I yelled, trying to stand, panic rising in my chest. A weight seemed to push down on my stomach and chest. I couldn't breathe. I knew this feeling.

"_Puck!"_ I screamed. I struggled to take in a breath. My head swirled, my vision wavering, I was panting trying to figure out the room.

"_**What? Changster are you ok?"**_ Puck's voice floated around me.

"_**I think,"**_ I breathed, _**"I've OD-ed."**_

He touched my chest, _**"No you haven't," his finger jabbed at my throat feeling my pulse, "don't worry mate. Don't move," **_he said as he left the room.

The prospect of going back to the hospital for the second time in a month made me feel sick; I couldn't stand the councilors they threw at me last time. I just hope that Puck was right in saying I hadn't overdosed. He came back with a glass of water and two pills. Passing them to me I eagerly took a gulp of water and kicked back the pills.

After about fifteen minutes my breathing was normal and Puck removed his hand from my shoulder.

He chuckled, _**"Relax Michael, you overact too fast."**_

I frowned and closed my eyes. I felt lightheaded. _**"What was that?"**_ I asked referring to the pills I just swallowed.

"_**GHB."**_

"_**What!"**_ I yelled my eyes flying open, _**"Oh,"**_ I groaned, _**"I can't deal with a second high right now,"**_ I rubbed my temples.

"_**You'll be alright,"**_ he laughed slapping me on my shoulder. _**"It's not that steep, you'll come down slower. Better than repeating what just happened."**_

I sighed, my eyes drooping, _**"Yeah, whatever."**_ I yawned, feeling more relaxed.

"_**You just sleep that off ok?"**_ He pushed me back to the couch and I willingly laid down, grateful for some undisturbed sleep.

AN: Read & Review.

DISCLAIMER: Not Mine

ORIGINAL STORY: ECSTASY by Dess (TheVintageGrace)

Multiple Update, huh! Enough chapters for today. Leave some reviews! I'll be updating soon. Spread this story!


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